Compressed Coconut Coir Pith Granules and Methods for the Production and use Thereof

Abstract

Compressed coconut coir pith granules having unique physical and horticultural characteristics are provided along with methods for producing such compressed products by subjecting coconut coir pith to compaction utilizing a roll compactor and subsequently granulating the compacted material.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application claims priority to and incorporates by reference in its entirety U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 000,818 entitled “Compressed Coconut Coir Pith Granules and Methods for the Production and Use Thereof” to Marcus Bertin, et al. filed Oct. 29, 2007.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0002]The present disclosure relates to compressed coconut coir pith granules for use as growth media and to methods for producing such granules or flakes. More particularly, the compressed granules or flakes produced in accordance with the present invention exhibit enhanced size, density, flowability and abrasion resistance characteristics which render the granules highly desirable for use in seeding mulch, potting mix, garden soil and flower and vegetable furrow covering applications.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE[0003]Coconut coir pith is a by-product of the coconut husk fiber processing industry. Coir is the name given to the fibrous mate...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014]The compressed granular coconut coir pith products produced in accordance with the present disclosure may be composed of coconut coir pith only or may contain other horticulturally acceptable media such as fertilizers, micronutrients, pH adjusting agents, wetting agents, biostimulents, microbes and other bioactive materials. The granules produced in accordance with this invention have a bulk density in a range of between about 240 kg / m3 and 600 kg / m3 and expand rapidly when exposed to moisture.

Problems solved by technology

However, the use of compressed coir pith bricks is cumbersome for use by consumers.

The entire brick must first be expanded with water for a relatively long period of time.

However, coconuts are typically only grown in tropical and sub tropical regions, while demand for the substrate is in the United States and Europe, which entails significant shipping and handling costs,

Presently, the forms in which coconut coir pith is available for import into the United States and Europe are rather limited.

This processing step is relatively slow and requires the entire disc, brick, or blocks to be out-turned at once.

Also, coconut coir pith that is outturned is either dry and dusty or wet and heavy which contributes to further processing problems.

Furthermore, coconut coir pith is not commonly baled in the manner of sphagnum peat because this form is less compressed and, therefore, less economical to ship.

Those processes require use of high shear compaction methods which generate high levels of heat through friction.

Such high temperature processing alters the physical properties of the coconut coir pith substrate.

The pellets produced have been found to exhibit undesirable physical characteristics such as relatively slow expansion after compaction, and the coconut coir pith normally does not expand back to its pre-compacted volume after such compaction.

However, pellet making processes use high pressure to extrude the material through small orifices.

Unlike roll compaction, pelletizing is a high shear process that produces significant friction and heat in the material.

The friction and heat from this process may produce a coir pith pellet with undesirable physical and horticultural properties.

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